1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transcutaneous electric nerve stimulator in which low-frequency signals are applied via electrodes to a human body so as to conduct a treatment for stiffness paralysis, a pain, and the like of the human body.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, there has been conducted a treatment in which a transcutaneous electric nerve stimulator is used to apply low-frequency pulses onto a human body so as to ease stiffness, paralysis, pain, and the like of the body.
FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram showing the electric configuration of a conventional transcutaneous electric nerve stimulator.
In FIG. 3, the system includes a pulse generator 1 to generate low-frequency pulses, namely, to produce pulses having a frequency corresponding to a treatment mode selected by use of treatment selection switches SWa, SWb, or SWc. For example, when the treatment selection switch SWa, SWb, or SWc is turned on, there are produced pulses of 1 Hz, 10 Hz, and 50 Hz, respectively. Furthermore, the pulse generator 1 is provided with light emitting diodes Ra to Rc, which indicate the utilization states of the treatment modes associated respectively with the treatment selection switches SWa, SWb, and SWc. For example, in the case where treatment selection switch SWa, SWb, or SWc is turned on, the light emitting diode Ra, Rb, or Rc is turned on respectively. Moreover, in the pulse generator 1, there is arranged a light emitting diode Rd for monitoring whether or not pulses are being outputted so as to blink each time a pulse is generated. The pulse generator 1 delivers the pulse to an output circuit 2, which is employed to amplify the pulse supplied from the pulse generator 1 to a predetermined level such that the resultant pulse is sent to an output adjuster 3. The output adjuster 3 in turn achieves an adjustment of a level (peak value) of the pulse supplied from the output circuit 2. The adjustment is carried out, for example, in response to an operation in which the operator rotates a control switch. The output adjuster 3 delivers the obtained pulse via a terminal T.sub.0 to electrodes, not shown, such that the pulse is applied therefrom onto a human body.
Incidentally, in the transcutaneous electric nerve stimulator of the prior art, since the light emitting diodes Ra to Rc are disposed to respectively indicate the utilization states of the respective treatment mode selection switches SWa to SWc and the light emitting diode Rd is arranged to monitor the output state of the pulses, the display operation is complicated. In addition, even with such complexity, consideration has not been given to reduction of the number of these light emission diodes so as to minimize the production cost of the stimulator.